The present invention relates to a pallet for transporting delicate cargo such as furniture in a safe manner. Specifically, a pallet is provided to transport the delicate cargo.
In an effort to prevent damage to delicate home furnishings, furniture manufacturers and other consumer product manufacturers expend considerable sums for packaging containers, crates, pallets, padding, etc. Some of the pallets used previously to transport a cargo are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,959 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,765. A disadvantage of these shipping pallets is the requirement of tipping the cargo on one side to allow the pallet to be fastened to or removed from the underside of the cargo. Tipping the cargo to one side requires additional handling and adds cost to the final consumer product. Also, the risk of damage to the cargo during the fastening or removing operation is increased by tipping the cargo.
Wood materials have generally been used in the past to manufacture pallets. This adds undue weight to the total cargo load and increases the cost of shipping. Additionally, the base of the cargo is subject to being damaged due to foreign matter coming into contact with the base. The cost and risk of damage incurred using prior art packing devices increases the final purchase price paid by the consumer.
The pallet of this invention provides an apparatus for supporting delicate consumer products during shipment from manufacturer to consumer. The pallet may be inexpensively manufactured in large quantities and weighs less than wood, thereby reducing total shipping costs which add to the price of the consumer product. Additionally, the risks of damage to the cargo are minimized by the pallet of this invention as the cargo may be secured to and removed from the pallet with a minimum of handling, and most importantly, without tipping.